§ 12. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is proposed to issue any special instructions to the Food Council with a view to preventing profiteering: and whether it is intended to add to the powers of this body?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERNo such instructions are necessary. I am keeping in closest touch with the position as to food prices and I should not, of course, hesitate to use the services of the Food Council if it was found expedient to do so. It will, however, be appreciated that what is required at present is day to day review by officers specially assigned for the purpose of keeping the Government fully informed as to the current trend of prices rather than the investigations into particular problems which are undertaken by the Food Council. In this review, as the Prime Minister stated yesterday, the Government is receiving valuable assistance and co-operation from representatives of the trades concerned. As re- 188 gards the question of powers, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given yesterday by the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Southampton (Mr. Morley) of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWith regard to the answer to the last part of the question, are we to understand—it was not quite clear yesterday—that the powers under the Gold Standard (Amendment) Act can be used in this case?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI should like that question to be put down specifically. I think the answer is "No" Perhaps the hon. and gallant Gentleman will put it down specifically.
§ Mr. McSHANEIn cases where it is proved that profiteering is taking place, what are the actual steps which are to be taken?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThat is a very hypothetical case. [Interruption.] Certainly it is. Do let us be fair in this matter. I ought to say that the Government of the country have had the most consistent co-operation hitherto from the trade of this country, and I have no evidence of exploitation.
§ Mr. SHINWELLDo I understand from the reply which the right hon. Gentleman has just given that according to the information in his possession there has been no increase at all in food prices?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERNo, I did not say that. I was particularly careful. I am going to answer a question about that in a moment. What I said was that there was no evidence of any sort or kind of exploitation. On the contrary, prices have been kept down in many cases considerably below replacement value.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIn view of the anxiety that is being felt at the moment in thousands of working class homes regarding the rise in the price of food, and if that should happen, what action is the Minister prepared to take to stop profiteering at once?
§ Mr. SPEAKERMr. Perry.
§ 13. Mr. PERRYasked the President of the Board of Trade the percentage of 189 increase in the wholesale prices since 19th September, 1931, of wheat, flour, butter, bacon and tinned goods?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI am informed that imported wheat has risen by about 20 per cent. since 19th September. The standard quotation of flour has not increased but the tendency has been to make the standard quotation more effective than previously. All grades of butter showed a percentage increase of about 5 per cent., bacon prices were unchanged, and some brands of imported canned goods showed varying advances in price.
§ Mr. PERRYIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is now admitted that the advance of 2s. 3d. a sack in the cost of flour took place last Tuesday, and, further, has his attention been drawn to the North of England Wholesale Grocers' Association, who have already advanced prices and issued instructions to retailers that they are justified in advancing prices from 7½ per cent. to 25 per cent. on certain goods?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERWith regard to the first part of the question—the price of flour—I have seen the representative of the millers this morning, and the answer which I have given is the answer which covers the whole of the trade. It is exactly what I have stated. The price of flour—the official quotation —was 20s. There has been no advance in the price of flour, although that price has become more effective over all.
§ Mr. PERRYMay I have an answer to the second part of my question; and has the right hon. Gentleman seen the representative of the firm whose name was quoted in the Press last Friday on the details I gave him?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERReally, if the hon. Gentleman has a complaint against any particular firm I think the least he could do would be to send it to me. I have secured the co-operation, not only of wholesalers, but of the retail organisations, including the co-operatives throughout the country, and, if there is a complaint that a particular firm is not carrying out the general policy, I sincerely hope the hon. Gentleman, if he knows of it, will send it to me and enable the associations concerned to take it up in the first instance.
§ Mr. PERRYMay I have an answer with regard to the North of England Wholesale Grocers' Association?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI have just answered the question. I have absolutely no knowledge of it. My information is that retail prices have not been affected, except in one commodity, broadly speaking, anywhere, and, if the hon. Gentleman has any particular case in mind, I hope he will send me particulars.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIn the event of the price of the necessaries of life going up—
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt is of no use, after a, question of this kind has been put down, the hon. Member asking what may happen in the future.
§ Mr. McSHANEOn a point of Order. The Prime Minister yesterday said that if prices rose he would take certain steps.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member has got the answer he wanted.
§ Mr. McSHANEHe has not told us the steps.